From Loneliness to Connection: What Eastern Devon Can Teach the World

At the end of May, the World Health Assembly made a groundbreaking decision: social connection — or, more importantly, the lack of it — has been recognised as a priority for global public health. This aligns with what the WHO has emphasised all along: that social health -the state of our relationships – stands shoulder to shoulder with physical and mental health, each influencing the others in profound ways.

For those of us involved in the Social Health Learning Project in Eastern Devon, this isn’t just policy news — it’s an affirmation of what communities have been telling us for years. It’s the quiet wisdom of everyday life that relationships are the glue that holds us together. As one participant in the learning project put it, “It’s the little chats and consistent presence that build trust over time.” Communities have long known that when people feel connected, they thrive — in life, in health, and in the systems that serve them.

But what exactly does that look like on the ground and how on earth do you build social health?

Well that’s exactly what we set out to understand with the Social Health Learning Project. How do communities create and sustain the conditions that allow people to build meaningful relationships? Through conversations across 17 communities, we found that there isn’t a single answer — but we unearthed six essential conditions that appear to form the healthy soil of social connection: Coordination, Investment, Voice, Resources, Space, and Insight. These conditions work together to create the social infrastructure that supports social health. Behind each of these conditions, we now have a wealth of information about the functions that must exist if these conditions are to be realities in community life.

This WHO resolution is more than a statement of intent — it challenges governments and systems to think beyond service delivery. It’s a call to invest in the conditions that help people feel they belong. Our Learning Project highlighted that poor social health doesn’t just affect individuals; it ripples through communities, undermining trust, productivity, and even democracy itself. Loneliness and social disconnection disproportionately affect those who are already marginalised, turning a health issue into a matter of social justice.

At the heart of it, social health doesn’t happen by accident — it needs nurturing. As our Learning Project revealed, communities often hold the solutions already, but they need support to build on what works. Social health is about relationships — not just between individuals, but between communities and the systems that serve them. It’s about investing in the local roles and resources that enable people to connect, belong, and thrive.

Here in Eastern Devon, we know this work is far from done. It will take partnership between communities, local authorities, funders, and health services to create the kind of social infrastructure that enables everyone to feel connected, safe, and recognised. That means investing in local leadership, ensuring continuity, and sharing power so that communities are not just recipients of services, but active partners in shaping the places they live.

The WHO’s resolution has shone a light on social health at the global level — but it’s in local communities like ours where the real work happens. Let’s not lose sight of what makes a difference: investing in relationships, building trust, and creating the conditions where everyone can belong.

Matt Smith – Director –  waffle.org.uk